Ultrasound Technician Salary VS Nurse Practitioner Salary

Nurse practitioner salary is more competitive than ultrasound technician salary when average annual salary ranges are compared. There are factors, which should be considered in order to compare the salaries of two medical professionals of different field. Though it is hard to compare salaries especially when job description is not similar, this article will discuss about comparison of how much an ultrasound technician and the nurse practitioner earn in a year in terms of location of employment and level of experience. Other information regarding both professional careers will also be discussed to fully understand why they are paid with such compensation.

The sonographer is responsible in generating clear images of the various internal organs, soft tissues and veins of the patient in order to help the medical physician to fully diagnose the disease of the patient to make necessary recommendations for treatment. He works with the various kinds of ultrasound machines and the accompanying technologies behind the machines. On the other hand, the nurse practitioner has responsibilities similar to a physician such as focusing in patient’s condition, monitoring the effect of treatment in their lives; recommend prevention, treatment and wellness to the patients. Nurse practitioners also provide education to patients regarding overall wellness. This is the profession, which is more advanced than a registered nurse, thus, this is the next higher step when one works as registered nurse.

Ultrasound tech salary can start from $34,986 to $78,778 per year while nurse practitioner salary in an annual basis can start from $59,654 to $106,937. Higher salary range is given for the nurse practitioners when compared to the sonographers since becoming a nurse practitioner is more difficult rather than becoming diagnostic medical sonographer. Becoming nurse practitioner requires higher educational level after completing the educational requirements to become a registered nurse while ultrasound sonography education can be accomplished in a matter of two years.

Location of employment affects the salary range, which medical sonographers and nurse practitioners receive. There are areas, states or cities where both ultrasound salary and nurse practitioner salary are higher while there are areas where lower salaries are offered. In NY, nurse practitioners receive an annual salary range that can start from $62,696 to $108,374 while ultrasound sonographers receive an annual income starting from $31,319 to $73,533. Nurse practitioners are compensated with an annual income of $58,006 to $93,032 in Florida while medical sonographers receive an annual salary range starting from 30,100 to $82,434. Medical sonographers who are working in the state of California are paid with an annual salary of $39,262 to $78,537 while nurse practitioner salary is $54,248 to $117,778 per year. In Texas, the annual income of currently employed nurse practitioners is $58,882 to $102,131 while sonographers are guaranteed with an annual income of $29,361 to $71,490. The salary figures in terms of location of employment reveals that in any state or area in the United States, it is evident that nurse practitioner salary is much higher than the compensation being offered for ultrasound technicians.

Level of experience is an important factor affecting salary range because the longer the years the professional has worked in his industry, the higher is his guaranteed income. Medical sonographers who have been worked for 20 years or more earn higher income than those who are just employed. Nurse practitioner salary for those who have been working for one year is $50,906 to $87,274 while for those who have been employed for twenty years or more than can earn an annual income starting from $52,765 to $122,138.

Ultrasound professionals can have salary which is higher than other allied health professionals of the same level but can be concluded to be lower than nurse practitioner salary and other related salaries of the same level professionals such as RN salary, pharmacist salary and physical therapist salary.